Constitution

Article I. Purpose

The purpose of the Penn State Small & Exotic Animal Club is to promote responsible pet ownership, to increase education about small and exotic animal topics among the students of the university and the community, and to provide students with animal-oriented volunteer opportunities throughout the area.

Article II. Membership

A. The membership shall be divided into active and associate members.

1. Only currently employed faculty, staff, and currently registered students shall be eligible for active membership.
2. All others interested in furthering the purpose of the Penn State Small & Exotic Animal Club shall be associate members. Associate members may not hold office, vote, preside, officiate, or solicit funds on behalf of the organization.

B. Currently registered students must be admitted as active members.

C. At all times there shall be at least 10 active student members.

D. New Membership and Recruitment

1. Any and all new members will be given full disclosure of club documents.
2. All members, including but not limited to new members and recruits, reserve the right to refrain from participating in any activities without consequence, based upon personal/religious beliefs, personal values, or moral reserve as defined by the member.
3. Any and all interaction/activity between members and/or new members will be limited to guidelines stated by university policy, as well as local, state, federal laws.

Article III. Officers

A. Only full-time, officially registered students shall be eligible to serve as appointed or elected officers. Limitations are subject to Office of Student Activities approval.

B. Offices

1. President: is the spokesperson for the organization. The President will preside at all meetings, see that the officers perform their official duties, sign all orders drawn by the secretary and other official documents of the organization. The President has the power to call executive meetings as well as organizational meetings in the event of an emergency.
2. Vice-President: serves as President when the President is unable to do so and assists in the promotion of the best interests of the organization as the President may direct.
3. Secretary: keeps the minutes of all the meetings. The Secretary will conduct all correspondence of the club and make an annual report of the work and accomplishments of the club.
4. Treasurer: receives all monies due to the club, keeps an accurate account of all the finances of the club, and pays all bills owed by the club.
5. Agricultural Student Council Representatives (2): attend all Agricultural Student Council meetings and report back to the organization the proceedings of those meetings. In the event that a representative cannot attend an Agricultural Student Council meeting, the alternate must be notified.

C. All officers will serve for a term of one year, beginning the month following the elections and ending the month of the elections.

D. Filling unexpired vacancies:

1. Nominations are taken at the first meeting following the vacancy. Elections occur at the following meeting.
2. The quorum is sixty-six percent of the active membership.
3. The majority required to elect a new officer is fifty percent plus one of the active membership present at a meeting. If 50%+1 is not obtained by one of the candidates, the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes is eliminated, and the active members will vote again. In the event that 50%+1 of the active membership cannot be obtained by anyone, the voting will be postponed until the next meeting.
4. The majority is derived from the active membership present at the meeting.
5. When nominations are being taken to fill unexpired terms, any member of the organization may nominate another member of the organization, by simply raising his/her hand and indicating such when recognized.

E. Any officer who willfully obstructs the work of the organization can be impeached by fifty percent plus one of the quorum of the active membership.

Article IV. Meetings

A. The Penn State Small & Exotic Animal Club will meet at least twice each month during the school year, except when such meetings conflict with the regulations of the college or university.

B. Adequate advance notice must be given to the membership.

C. The President, with the consent of the Vice President, may change meeting frequency.

D. Members shall be notified of all meetings by e-mail.

E. The President may call special meetings should he/she see fit.

Article V. Voting

A. Only active members may vote.

B. The quorum is sixty-six percent of the membership.

C. The majority is fifty percent plus one of the active membership. This majority is derived from the active members present.

Article VI. Finances

A. All funds are to be deposited ad handled through the Associated Student Activities (ASA) in 240 HUB.

B. The organization will not have an off-campus account(s).

C. This organization shall collect dues that will not be excessive.

D. The Treasurer, with consent of the President, will determine dues.

E. Dues are a condition of membership.

F. Dues shall be collected semi-annually.

G. The Officers of the organization may spend up to $50 of the organization's funds without the approval of the general membership.

Article VII. Elections

A. Nominations shall take place during the first meeting in April and elections shall take place during the second meeting in April.

B. Election code:

1. The quorum to conduct nominations and elections shall be sixty-six percent of the membership.
2. The majority needed to elect shall be fifty percent plus one.
3. The majority is derived from the active membership present at the meeting to elect.
4. Any member may nominate an active member for any office by raising his/her hand at the appropriate time and being recognized by the presiding official. Next, the active members shall cast secret, written ballots for the candidate of their choice. Each member shall have one vote per office.
5. If 50%+1 cannot be obtained, the candidate with the lowest number of votes shall be dropped from consideration, and the active members shall vote again.

C. No one involved in conducting the elections may be an official candidate.

Article VIII. Amendments to the Constitution

A. Amendments to this constitution may be introduced at the conclusion of any meeting. Voting shall occur at the meeting following its introduction, with the amendment taking effect following Office of Student Activities approval.

B. Quorum is sixty-six percent. The majority is 50%+1 of the active membership present at the meeting.

C. Any member may introduce a constitutional amendment at the conclusion of a meeting. At the following meeting, the active members shall vote on the amendments as outlined in the article of voting. The amendment will then be submitted to the Office of Student Activities for approval.

D. All amendments are subject to the approval of the Office of Student Activities.

Article IX. Parliamentary Authority

Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, by Sarah Corbin Roberts shall be used in all cases not covered by this constitution.

Article X. Accessibility of this Constitution

Copies of this constitution shall be made available to anyone upon request.

Article XI. Advisor(s)

A. This organization will retain an advisor(s). The advisor(s) will be a member(s) of the College of Agriculture.

B. The organization will choose an advisor through a majority vote.